Chap. I.] ATOTARIIO. 13 



to instruct his favorite people in the arts of savage 

 life; and when he saw how they were tormented by 

 giants, monsters, and evil spirits, he urged the divi- 

 ded tribes, for the common defence, to band them- 

 selves together in an everlasting league. While 

 the injunction was as yet unfulfilled, the sacred 

 messenger was recalled to the Great Spirit; but, 

 before his departure, he promised that another 

 should appear, empowered to instruct the people in 

 all that pertained to their confederation. And ac 

 cordingly, as a band of Mohawk warriors was 

 threading the funereal labyrinth of an ancient pine 

 forest, they heard, amid its blackest depths, a hoarse 

 voice chanting in measured cadence ; and, following 

 the sound, they saw, seated among the trees, a mon- 

 ster so hideous, that they stood benumbed with ter- 

 ror. His features were wild and frightful. He was 

 encompassed by hissing rattlesnakes, which, Medu- 

 sa-like, hung writhing from his head ; and on the 

 ground around him were strewn implements of in- 

 cantation, ai,id magic vessels formed of human skulls. 

 Eecovering from their amazement, the warriors could 

 perceive that in the mystic words of the chant, which 

 he still poured forth, were couched the laws and 

 principles of the destined confederacy. The tradi- 

 tion further declares that the monster, being sur- 

 rounded and captured, was presently transformed 

 to human shape, that he became a chief of tran- 

 scendent wisdom and prowess, and to the day of his 

 death ruled the councils of the now united tribes. 

 To this hour the presiding sachem of the council at 



